About Us
About Us
For more than 150 years, the Leamon family has been honored to serve families throughout northwest Illinois with compassionate funeral care rooted in tradition, integrity, and community.
The Leamon legacy began in 1869, when John Thomas (J.T.) Leamon founded Leamon's Furniture and Funeral Home after relocating from Pennsylvania to northwest Illinois. J.T. and his wife, Caroline, first settled in Cedarville, where he worked as a cabinetmaker before moving to a farm near Lena. There, he continued his trade as a painter until opening a furniture store and undertaking establishment.
J.T.'s dedication and craftsmanship quickly earned the respect of families across the region. In those early years, funeral services were far different than they are today. Caskets arrived unfinished and were completed by hand. Funeral directors traveled by horse and buggy to the family's home, where they prepared the deceased and conducted services. Visitations were typically held in the home, and a wreath displayed on the front door which signified that a death had occurred.
J.T. and Caroline raised ten children, and in 1901, their son Robert Bowes (R.B.) Leamon joined the family business. R.B. continued serving the community until his retirement around 1928, helping build the strong reputation that the Leamon name still carries today.
R.B.'s youngest son, Paul Leamon, entered the business in 1923 after attending Lena schools and Worsham College of Mortuary Science. During the 1930s, Paul assumed ownership of the family business. He and his wife, Agnes (Carmody) Leamon, had one son, John “Jack”.
Representing the fourth generation, Jack P. Leamon graduated from Lena High School in 1943 and later earned his mortuary education from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in Ohio. He married Mary E. Murphy in 1949, and together they raised three children: Thomas, Janet, and Robert (Paul).
Following Paul's passing in 1951, Agnes and Jack continued operating the funeral home. Jack became president of the company in 1970 after Agnes's death. In 1994, the furniture business was sold, allowing the family to focus exclusively on providing funeral services.
Tom Leamon devoted his career to serving alongside his father, Jack. A graduate of Lena-Winslow High School and Worsham College of Mortuary Science (class of 1973), Tom carried forward the values of integrity, service, and commitment that have defined the Leamon family for generations.
Today, Leamon Funeral Homes proudly continues under the leadership of the sixth generation, Aaron England. As Jack’s grandson and Janet’s son, Aaron carries on the family tradition that began in 1869. While funeral services have evolved over the years, the Leamon family’s mission remains unchanged- to honor every life with dignity, serve every family with compassion, and remain a trusted presence in the communities they have proudly served for more than 150 years.
